Wimbledon stripped of ranking points by ATP, WTA (This is political)

[ciaban2.0]

I wasn't entirely sure where to put this story, since it's obviously tennis related, but the nature of it is political.

https://sports.yahoo.com/wimbledon-s...181156354.html

The WTA and ATP announced their unprecedented decisions Friday night, two days before the start of the French Open — and a little more than a month before play begins at Wimbledon on June 27.

It is a significant rebuke of the sport’s oldest Grand Slam tournament and, in a technical sense, renders the event an exhibition without any ranking points at stake.

The All England Club said in April it would not allow Russians or Belarusians to compete at its grass-court championship, which drew immediate criticism from the WTA and the ATP, along with some prominent players, such as defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Russian athletes have been prevented from competing in many sports, including soccer’s World Cup qualifying playoffs, since the country began attacking Ukraine in February. Belarus has aided Russia in the invasion.

“The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our tour,” the ATP said in a statement. “The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the U.K. this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP ranking system.”

Effectively the people who run Wimbledon (The All England Tennis Club) banned any player of Russian or Belarusan descent. Which includes some of the best players on the tour.

Wimbledon is the oldest major tennis tournament. And while there will still be the tourny, and prize money given out, and winning it is still considered a grand slam on your resume, you won't get any points for the sake of world rankings.

[dbroncos78087]

Are they banning players who are of Russian and Belarusian nationality or citizens of those nations? Because they are entirely different things. Citizens of the nations should be barred from migration out from those nations. Once Russia goes back into their borders, we can revisit it.

[ciaban2.0]

Are they banning players who are of Russian and Belarusian nationality or citizens of those nations? Because they are entirely different things. Citizens of the nations should be barred from migration out from those nations. Once Russia goes back into their borders, we can revisit it.

These players such as Medvedev (he's the only player to be ranked World #1 outside the big 4 since like 2003) have EU citizenship and can freely travel about.

If Russia is really an autocratic dictatorship like we're told it is (it is) then punishing average people is cruel and just plays into Putin's talking points that the world is Russophobic and hates Russian people.

Also, how are we defining "Russian Territory" because Ukraine would claim that Crimea is Ukrainian and that it doesn't belong to Russia?
Russia is not about to give that **** back. So what do we have a situation where we permanently ban citizens of a country from any travel for the rest of time?

[dbroncos78087]

Athletes aren’t regular people like you’re selling them as.

As far as Russian territory, it is the true boundary of Russia. So no Crimea is not part of Russia’s territory. It’s Ukraine’s.

I don’t have a real issue with a permanent embargo on Russians until they do back behind their borders.

[Raps18-19 Champ]

Punishing citizens because of a government's decision is comepletely inappropriate. Multiple athletes have said they dont support the war already, including those being banned.

[ciaban2.0]

Athletes aren’t regular people like you’re selling them as.

As far as Russian territory, it is the true boundary of Russia. So no Crimea is not part of Russia’s territory. It’s Ukraine’s.

I don’t have a real issue with a permanent embargo on Russians until they do back behind their borders.

Except you said

Citizens of the nations should be barred from migration out from those nations

You're talking about all of their citizens. And even if we're only talking about athletes and artists, they're citizens and more importantly people too, what are these powerless individuals supposed to do?

Should the United States and our citizens have been held to this same standard over Iraq? Or our endless drone strikes that mostly kill civilians?

[Raps18-19 Champ]

You may as well bring back the Muslim ban while we are at it.

[metswon69]

Punishing citizens because of a government's decision is comepletely inappropriate. Multiple athletes have said they dont support the war already, including those being banned.

Agreed. Not to mention it feels very arbitrary. Alexander Ovechkin is from Russia and supports Putin but the NHL didn't stop him from playing just because he took that very unpopular stance. Neither should they have.

[catman]

People judge Alex Ovechkin on his play on the ice, not his politics. I think this is a bad decision on the part of the organizers of the Wimbledon tournament.

[metswon69]

People judge Alex Ovechkin on his play on the ice, not his politics. I think this is a bad decision on the part of the organizers of the Wimbledon tournament.

Alexander Ovechkin got a lot of **** for his pro Putin stance (as he should imo) but I dont see how that should have barred him from playing a sport. Same should be with these Russian players on the WTA tour.

[Raps18-19 Champ]

I believe Ovi still said he doesnt support the war even if he is a outin supporter.

[metswon69]

I believe Ovi still said he doesnt support the war even if he is a outin supporter.

Yeah he came out against it after the Capitals issued a team statement condemning Russia. I'm sure Ovi is smart enough not to be a distraction though. Whatever the case is, there are a lot of Russians in the NHL. None of which have been banned from playing because they were born there. Seems plenty over reactionary from the ATP.

[valade16]

You may as well bring back the Muslim ban while we are at it.

What if Wimbledon doesn’t call it a Russian athlete ban but bans athletes from countries that present a security risk… like Russia.

[Raps18-19 Champ]

If the person themselves posed a security risk I have to problem banning then. If you want to take a deeper look at them, then sure, but chances are most athletes would pass even scritinized tests. But an outeight ban just because they are Russian is a bit much.

[metswon69]

If the person themselves posed a security risk I have to problem banning then. If you want to take a deeper look at them, then sure, but chances are most athletes would pass even scritinized tests. But an outeight ban just because they are Russian is a bit much.

Yeah I hardly believe any of these athletes are working as agents of Russia. I think they just want to play the sport they hope to make a living off of professionally or have already done so. If this was the Olympics and they banned Russia from participating I would get it but not with individual athletes who are playing tennis, hockey, soccer, etc.